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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516836">not technically legal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinDoodles/pseuds/PumpkinDoodles'>PumpkinDoodles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Taserbones Tumblr Prompts &amp; Tiny (Adorkable) Fics [47]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Punisher (TV 2017), Thor (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, accidental fiancé acquisition, meet ugly, what just happened, whoops</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:49:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinDoodles/pseuds/PumpkinDoodles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When she buys a guy a drink after bumping into him accidentally, Darcy doesn't expect to wake up with a fiancé--much less two.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Darcy Lewis/Brock Rumlow, Darcy Lewis/Frank Castle, Frank Castle/Brock Rumlow, Frank Castle/Darcy Lewis/Brock Rumlow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Taserbones Tumblr Prompts &amp; Tiny (Adorkable) Fics [47]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1484168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>420</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*I own nothing! Anonymous asked: The meet ugly prompts are so choice! How about 09. we’re strangers who meet at a bar, get drunk, and wake up to announcements of our new engagement all over our social media - what did we do??? for Brock/Darcy/Frank in an AU where poly marriage is a thing? 😅 I miss that beautiful trio so much.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>They were having a private birthday party for Sharon Carter, so the bar was packed full of SHIELD employees. Darcy wiggled through the crowd of people talking and accidentally <em> thwacked </em> into a guy in a hoodie. He caught her. “I’m sorry,” she said. “My bad.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” he said, looking oddly shy for somebody with a Marine haircut and a bruise across his cheekbone. She didn’t recognize him, so she assumed he was a field agent. </p><p>“Let me buy you a drink?” she offered.</p><p>“You don’t have to do that,” he said. </p><p>“But I want to,” she insisted.</p><p>“You sure?” he said.</p><p>“Yes,” Darcy said. He’d actually ducked his chin and blushed a little when she smiled at him. It was endearing. She led him to the bar. “Do you have a name or is that a SHIELD secret?” she asked.</p><p>“Frank,” he said wryly.</p><p>“I’m Darcy,” she told him, as they stood next to the bar top. They were looking at each other when Brock Rumlow waltzed over with a bar towel slung over his shoulder. He’d volunteered to bartend tonight, Darcy knew. She’d met him a few times before, but they didn’t know each other well.</p><p>“What can I get you, Lewis?” Rumlow said, smirking. He nodded at Frank. “Castle.”</p><p>“Rumlow,” Frank said. There was weird tension between them, she noticed. Rumlow seemed to glance significantly; Frank drummed his fingers on the counter.</p><p>“I’m buying Frank a drink,” Darcy said. “What’s good?”</p><p>“For you and Castle?” he said, eyeing her appreciatively. “Why don’t you try my love potion martini?”</p><p>“Love potion?” Frank scoffed. “What the hell kinda drink is that?”</p><p>“The good kind, Castle,” Rumlow said, smiling at Darcy. “Pomegranate juice, Chambord, strawberry vodka. Everybody loves it.” He winked at her.</p><p>“Okay,” Darcy said. “I’ll try it. Frank?” She looked at Frank. Rumlow smirked again.</p><p>“C’mon, Castle,” he coaxed. “Live a little.”</p><p>“All right. I’ll try your damn girly drink,” Frank said.</p><p>“It’s not girly, it’s fucking delicious,” Rumlow insisted. Darcy watched as he rimmed the glasses with sugar. When he caught her watching him--and staring at his arms--he flicked his tongue over his top lip and smirked.</p><p>“This guy is so over the top,” Frank whispered. Darcy grinned. </p><p>“I heard that,” Rumlow called out. The vibe was so...flirty. Wasn’t that it, Darcy wondered? Flirtatiousness? She took the drink and made eye contact with Rumlow, then looked at Frank. She didn’t know who to look at. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Ohhhhh,” Darcy groaned. She knew without opening her eyes that she was a smidge hungover. Th-thunk--th-thunk--th-thunk went the invisible metal band around her skull. If she moved, it squeezed her brain tighter. She wriggled under the sheet, opening her eyes briefly. Her bed was warm...her bed was not her bed? She looked at the ceiling again. Then to her right. Next to her, Frank Castle was snoring on a pillow. He looked sweet asleep. Like a little boy. This must be Frank’s apartment, she realized. Darcy was looking at Frank when an arm looped around her waist from the other side of the bed. Darcy’s brain stuttered for a moment. She was in bed with two men. </p><p>“Good morning, sweetheart,” Brock Rumlow said huskily. She felt him kiss her ear and shivered a little.</p><p>“Hello,” she croaked out, turning her head. He was smiling. “Did we all...spend the night?” she asked.</p><p>“Yeah, you did,” he said, sounding impossibly smug. “I invited you back, you invited Frank, we all had a good time.”</p><p>“Oh,” Darcy said. He grinned at her and she found herself grinning back. “I’ve--I’ve never done this before,” she whispered.</p><p>“What, spent the night with somebody?” Brock said.</p><p>“Not two somebodies!” Darcy said. She started to giggle. Rumlow peppered her back with noisy kisses and Darcy flailed, trying to squirm away. Her movements woke Frank.</p><p>“What the fuck?” he said sleepily. He looked at them and tilted his head. He looked like a confused dog for a second. “What happened?” he said.</p><p>“Ummm….” Darcy said. She looked at Brock for help. </p><p>“Fun, Castle,” Rumlow said.</p><p>“Okay,” Frank said slowly. He looked dubious.</p><p>“Also, you snore like a fucking buzzsaw man, I think we need to get you a sleep study,” Rumlow teased. </p><p>“Bite me, asshole,” Frank muttered.</p><p>“I might have,” Darcy confessed, a memory and a giggle bubbling up at once. “If you find any marks.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Brock was working on breakfast when Darcy poured them cups of coffee. “Frank?” she said. “Do you want cream or anything?”</p><p>“I, uh, drink it black,” Frank said. He’d gotten dressed faster than her or Brock. Brock was still shirtless as he scrambled eggs; Darcy had stolen one of his shirts. She watched Frank carefully. Darcy wasn’t sure how he felt--he seemed a little shy. She passed him a mug. “Thanks,” Frank said.</p><p>“Stay for breakfast, Castle,” Brock said.</p><p>“Yes, stay,” Darcy said, sipping her own coffee. </p><p>“Okay,” Frank said slowly.</p><p>“Has anyone seen my phone?” Darcy asked.</p><p>“On the floor by the couch,” Brock said, smirking. “Your bra’s there, too, sweetheart.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Darcy said. She had to get on the floor to find her phone under the couch. When she tapped the home button, she realized she had a ton of notifications. Weird, she thought. She swiped her index finger over the screen---and gasped. “Guys?” she called out. From the screen, an image of the three of them in a photo stared back at her.</p><p>“Yeah?” Brock said. Darcy rose slowly. He looked at her. “What’s wrong?” Brock asked.</p><p>“Um, did you realize that we announced our engagement on social media?” she asked. Frank choked a little on his coffee.</p><p>“You fucking got engaged last night?” Frank said, looking between them.</p><p>“Not him and me, the three of us,” Darcy said. “All of us. You, me, Brock.”</p><p>“Motherfucker,” Frank said. “That’s not possible.” The three of them looked at each other. Darcy didn’t know where to look again. </p><p>“It’s possible,” Brock said. “Not technically legal, maybe, but totally possible.”</p><p>“What, you just go around proposing to two people at once?” Frank asked Brock.</p><p>“I see how you assume it was me--” Brock began.</p><p>“Guys,” Darcy said. “Guys!” She waved her arms.</p><p>“Yeah?” Frank said, looking at her worriedly.</p><p>“Everyone thinks we’re engaged,” she said slowly. “When I say everyone, I mean <em> everyone. </em>Jane, Fury...my mother,” Darcy said, panicking. “Oh my God, oh my God.”</p><p>“Did my Ma say anything?” Brock asked.</p><p>“I’ll look,” Darcy said, scrolling through the comments. “Is Fallon your mom?” she asked.</p><p>“No, that’s my sister, Ma’s Angela,” Brock said. He glanced at Frank.</p><p>“Don’t look at me, my parents are dead,” Frank said. </p><p>“I’m sorry,” Darcy said, looking up in concern.</p><p>“It’s okay, Lewis,” Frank said dryly. “They were, uh, older. I’m not sure they’d be ready for a son-in-law <em> and </em> a daughter-in-law.”</p><p>“I found your mom,” Darcy said to Brock. “Angela says”--she read quickly-- “that you need to bring us both to New York ASAP. Also, she’s very happy for us, even if we’ve never met.” She looked at Brock. “What do we do?” Darcy fretted. She thought he was going to say something, but Frank spoke first.</p><p>“I think she’s sending you a message, honey,” Frank said sarcastically. He was looking at Brock. “That she’d really like you to settle down.”</p><p>“You’re fucking with me, but I don’t mind,” Brock said slyly. “Come tell me how you like your eggs, babe.” He looked at Frank. Frank blinked for a second. Brock had stressed the last word. Darcy watched as Frank moved over, looking tentative, but also pink-cheeked. When Brock slung an arm around him, the tips of Frank’s ears actually blushed. As she watched, Brock leaned over and kissed Frank carefully. There was so much tension, Darcy held her breath. How would Frank respond? For a second, Frank hesitated, but then he leaned into the kiss eagerly. When they broke apart, Frank rubbed the top of his head sheepishly. Darcy caught Brock’s eye.</p><p>“Whoa,” she mouthed. He smirked.</p><p>“I’ve been trying to get him to come around for months,” Brock told her.</p><p>“Shut up,” Frank muttered, blushing.</p><p>“I noticed you jumped when she asked you--” Brock told him.</p><p>“She asked nice,” Frank said.</p><p>“She is nice,” Brock said. “I think we should keep her--”</p><p>“You can’t just decide to keep a person,” Frank scolded.</p><p>“Why not?” Brock said. “I kept you.” Frank scoffed.  Darcy sat down on the couch. She was still panicking. “What is it?” Brock asked.</p><p>“Are we--what are we doing?” she said. </p><p>“Breakfast,” Brock said. He grinned. “Our first one together.”</p><p>“I mean about the--that,” she said. “The engagement stuff!” </p><p>"You wanna go somewhere good for the official proposal?” Brock said.</p><p>“Seriously?” Darcy said, feeling dazed. “What are we going to tell people?”</p><p>“That we’re together and people can deal with it,” Brock said. He looked at Frank. “I think she needs more coffee.”</p><p>“Yes,” Darcy breathed out.</p><p>“She needs a ring,” Frank said. “That’s important to women.”</p><p>“It’s not that big a deal,” Darcy said. “I’m fine without one.”</p><p>“Yes it is a big deal,” Frank said. He looked at Brock. “And if she says she’s fine, it’s not fine. ”</p><p>“That’s not--okay, it’s a little bit true,” Darcy admitted.</p><p><br/>
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</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This one just made me giggle.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*I own nothing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re engaged--you’re engaged to two people?” Jane Foster said to Darcy slowly. Her expression was thoughtful. Darcy nodded. Brock and Frank had walked her into work this morning. It was oddly sweet. She felt touched, but also nervous. How was she supposed to explain things? Would this relationship even work? Of the two men, Brock seemed the most enthusiastic and Frank more cautious, but sometimes he looked at Darcy with such care and tenderness. She thought his quiet manner might be hiding more depth of feeling than all of Brock’s enthusiastic declarations. Darcy looked at Jane; she was clearly still thinking.</p><p>“Um, yes?” Darcy said. “Obviously, we can’t legally get married, but Brock is all gung-ho about us being together, Frank’s been married before--”</p><p>“He’s divorced?” Jane asked.</p><p>“Widower, it’s very sad, we don’t talk about it much,” Darcy said. “He lost his wife and two kids, they were murdered.” </p><p>“Oh,” Jane said. Her voice was softer than it had been before.</p><p>“He works at SHIELD because they were killed,” Darcy explained slowly, “when someone thought he was going whistleblow on military drug-runners in Afghanistan.” </p><p>“Oh my God. That’s awful,” Jane said. “Just awful.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Darcy said. “I just--I know it seems crazy and I got swept up in this weird, surprise thing, but um--”</p><p>“Darce, I’ve been to Asgard,” Jane said. “You just have two partners. It’s not a big deal, really.”</p><p>“You don’t think so?” Darcy said, looking more hopeful. She scrunched her nose. “I’m going to use that with all my relatives,” she said. She parroted back Jane’s words. “I’ve got two partners, it’s not a big deal. No biggie. No worries.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Jane said. "Not a big deal."</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Darcy was still thinking about it that afternoon. “Hey, sweetheart,” Brock said, lighting up when she walked into his office. He was talking with Jack. “There’s my girl.” He gestured. He was expressive.</p><p>“Hullo, Darce,” Jack said to her in his pleasant Australian accent.</p><p>“Hi, Jack. I’m here to take your boss to lunch,” Darcy said. “So we can discuss...things.”</p><p>“She keeps calling them things,” Brock said, doing air quotes. He was amused.</p><p>“Excuse me, Jane and I decided this morning that me having two partners isn’t a big deal,” Darcy said, crossing her arms. Whenever she was around him, she couldn't not smile.</p><p>“Partner?” Jack said, voice wry. “Like, howdy partner?” He did a cowboy accent. Brock's eyebrows went up.</p><p>“Oh God,” Darcy said, cringing. She looked at Brock. “Do I sound like that?”</p><p>“No,” he said, shaking his head. He was beaming. “Don’t listen to Kangaroo Jack.”</p><p>"Oi," Jack complained. Brock rose and clapped Jack on the shoulder.</p><p>“I’m taking my girl to lunch, Jackie.”</p><p>"Have a good time," Jack said, smiling. He had a feral smile.</p><p>"Thank you," Darcy said. Brock slid his arm around her waist with a squeeze.</p><p>"You having a good day?" he asked. She nodded.</p><p>“Where’s Frank?” Darcy said, as they left Brock’s office.</p><p>“He told me that he needed to run an errand,” Brock said. </p><p>“He didn’t say where?” she asked.</p><p>“The man’s cagey, sometimes he doesn’t tell me everything,” Brock said, frowning. “Should I be offended?” he added, tilting his head. He smiled at her.</p><p>“Let him have his secrets,” Darcy said gently. She bumped Brock's shoulder.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“You’re marrying two people?” Karen Page asked Frank, without preamble. He’d arranged for them to meet at the Smithsonian exhibit. He wanted her to see it. Frank looked around to see if they'd been overheard and then squinted up at Captain America’s uniform. Next to him, Karen tilted her head. Her blonde hair was shiny, blue eyes bright.</p><p>“I’ve met him, you know,” he said, rubbing his crew cut. “Cap. Everybody calls him Cap. You, uh, want his autograph?”</p><p>“Stop changing the subject,” Karen said. “But yes, I do. Want the autograph. Is he impressive in person?” she wondered.</p><p>“I almost said the Pledge of Allegiance when he smiled at me in the elevator,” Frank cracked. Karen giggled. She put her hand over her mouth. She was delighted. She and her new boyfriend had been watching a movie when Frank called to admit he’d met somebody. Two somebodies.</p><p>“What else happened to you, Frank?” she asked. “Anything important?” She beamed at him. He let himself smile slowly.</p><p>“Three people can’t legally get married,” Frank said. “But, uh, yeah. Things are, uh, good. I really like her and he’s not a...total asshole.”</p><p>“Okay,” Karen said. </p><p>“We’re trying this commitment deal,” Frank mused. “It might work, it might not.”</p><p>“But it doesn’t hurt to try,” Karen said. </p><p>“Nope,” Frank said.</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Karen said, grinning. </p><p>“I mean, when Maria and I got together, I had no idea what the fuck I was doing,” Frank said slowly. </p><p>“And now you know things,” Karen told him. </p><p>“I’ve been married to one person,” Frank said, nodding.</p><p>“How hard could it be?” Karen asked. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“You wanna go ring shopping soon?” Brock asked Darcy. She had a french fry in her mouth and looked at him.</p><p>“Hmm-mm,” Darcy said. “I guess?” She shrugged. “It’s really not that big a deal, I swear.” Brock smirked at her and wagged his finger.</p><p>“Nuh-huh, sweetheart,” he said. “Frank told me the girl code, I know the deal now. Rings are a big fucking deal.”</p><p>“Girl code?” Darcy said, laughing. “Girl code.”</p><p>“Damn right,” Brock said. He smiled at her, then looked off into the distance. “I want to do this right,” he said, expression shifting.</p><p>“Okay,” Darcy said.</p><p>“I mean it,” he told her. “I’m fifty fucking years old--”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Now she thinks I’m serious?” Brock cracked. He smiled. “But, yeah. I am. This is it, sweetheart. Second chances and all that shit.”</p><p>“Two people, second chances, no big deal,” Darcy said lightly.</p><p>“You’ll go?” he asked. “Tonight?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>“When do I get to meet your mom?” she asked. He stared for a second, opening and closing his mouth, then started to laugh. </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><hr/><p> </p><p>“It’s, um, a surprise to me, too,” Darcy said, tilting the phone against her ear. Her Aunt Deborah had called to congratulate her--and ask which man was her fiancé. Darcy was trying to decide how to tell the truth when she realized Frank and Brock were gently arguing in front of one of the jewelry counters nearby. </p><p>“That’s tacky is what I’m telling you,” Frank said. “Tacky shit.”</p><p>“So, you wanna give her a boring-ass solitaire?” Brock said.</p><p>“It’s traditional,” Frank insisted. “Classic.”</p><p>“I really need to go...deal with a ring fight,” Darcy said.</p><p>“Oh, couples always fight about that!” Deb said breezily. “You make him spend more money on you, honey.”</p><p>“Sure,” Darcy said. “Love you!” She hung up quickly and walked over to them. The sales associate was staring, wide-eyed. “Guys, why are we fighting?” she said.</p><p>“He has the taste of a goddamned rapper,” Frank said. “Look at this.” He pointed to the rings in front of them. It was a very sparkly ring.</p><p>“Oh,” Darcy said. “That’s very...shiny.”</p><p>“What do you think?” Brock asked, sliding an arm around her.</p><p>“She hates it,” Frank said. </p><p>“I don’t hate it!” Darcy said. “But it looks like it costs a small fortune…”</p><p>“I can swing it,” Brock said. </p><p>“Oh, no fucking way,” Frank said. “Then you’re the guy who bought the ring and I’m just the other guy who didn’t buy the ring. You’re setting me up. We’re not doing that.”</p><p>“I’m not being the other guy,” Brock said stubbornly. He was almost pouting.</p><p>“Why don’t you split it?” Darcy offered. “We all get rings and the other two split the cost?”</p><p>“That’s a plan,” Brock said. He leaned over and nuzzled her, grinning. “You’re the brains, huh?” She nodded.</p><p>“Good plan,” Frank agreed, nodding. He looked at Darcy. “You sure you like this one? They got lots of them.”</p><p>“Well,” Darcy said slowly. She looked at Brock--she didn’t want his feelings to be hurt. But to her surprise, he was smiling. </p><p>“Look at these,” Brock said, gesturing to a tray. </p><p>“Are we really doing this?” she asked. “Like, nobody’s freaking out?” She looked at him tentatively. “Even extra legally or whatever--”</p><p>“We’re doing it,” Brock said. He looked at Frank. “You’re not nervous, are you?”</p><p>“No,” Frank said. “She’s great.”</p><p>“I heard how quickly he said that,” Brock joked.</p><p>“You’re okay,” Frank said dryly. Darcy giggled.</p><p>“You love me,” Brock said. “You really, really love me.” He threw an arm around Frank and kissed the side of his face obnoxiously. The sales person stared.</p><p>“Cut it out,” Frank grumbled, beaming. </p><p>“Wait, let me in there,” Darcy said, holding her arms out. “Don’t bogart my Frank.” She shuffled against Frank, holding his waist. They were maybe making a scene, but she made sure that she only looked at both of them. “I maybe have a ring that I want,” Darcy admitted. “From when I was engaged before to Ian. Jane’s other intern.”</p><p>“Whoa, this is news,” Brock said. “You were engaged before?”</p><p>“You been holding out on us,” Frank said, rubbing her back. </p><p>“It was just, like, a few months,” Darcy said. “It was more of a...verbal plan. We broke up before I ever planned anything or got a ring. He just used to say we’d get married <em> someday</em>.”</p><p>“So, he was an asshole?” Frank said.</p><p>“Um,” Darcy said.</p><p>“That’s the vibe I’m getting,” Brock said. “Let’s see this ring, sweetheart?”</p><p>“Okay,” Darcy said, feeling irrationally excited. “But, wait, is it weird that this is a preexisting ring?”</p><p>“Nah,” Frank said. “I think we all have preexisting...conditions.” </p><p>“That’s what we’re calling it?” Brock asked. “Okay.” He grinned at Darcy. “Tell me about this ring.”</p><p>“You’re going to like it,” Darcy said.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“The Verragio Renaissance,” Darcy said. They’d gone to a jewelry store that carried the ring she dreamed about.  “It’s a vintage inspired white gold halo frame with one-third carat worth of diamonds in the setting and an oval center stone.” She sighed dreamily. “And it’s beautiful.”</p><p>“I like it,” Brock said. The ring sparkled on the glass countertop. </p><p>“You would,” Frank cracked. Darcy was staring at the ring. </p><p>“Shhh,” Brock said, elbowing him. “She likes it.”</p><p>“Am I crazy? We barely know each other,” Darcy asked. “Tell me if I’m crazy?”<br/><br/>"It's cute that she thinks this is crazy," Frank said. "She's very sheltered."</p><p>"Yeah," Brock said, nodding.</p><p>"I am not! I've seen aliens. Two kinds," Darcy said. </p><p>"Yeah?" Frank said.</p><p>"Pasty and not pasty," Darcy clarified.</p><p>"I dunno, Loki's not exactly tan," Brock quipped. He looked at the sales person politely pretending not to eavesdrop. "What's the carat weight on the diamond?"</p><p>"Three-fourths of a carat," the man said.</p><p>"He takes this seriously," Frank whispered, as Darcy put the ring on her finger and studied it.</p><p>"I, uh, helped SHIELD retrieve some diamonds once," Brock said. "I developed an interest." He looked at Darcy. "This is the one?"</p><p>"Um, yeah. Maybe. Can I think about it?" she said. She smiled at the sales person. "I might have trouble deciding on just one thing," she said, in a sweet voice. Frank was the first one to start laughing.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've got the Very Serious Blues about the state of the world, so here's an absolutely fluffy silly bit of escapist nothing with fancy rings in it. The ring in question? The Verragio Renaissance-977 BOV. More images here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/42573158965012723/</p><p>  <br/></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*I own nothing! Anon asked: "alright it’s not spooky but i’m feeling very soft as halloween gets closer—could I request something where Frank/Darcy or Frank/Brock/Darcy are taking their babies trick or treating with real cute coordinating costumes?"</p><p>I stole the babies and made it the baby talk.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“I can’t believe you stole children for this,” Frank whispered to Darcy, as little Emily and her brother toddled up to the house and rang the doorbell. Emily was dressed as a tiny Hershey’s Kiss for Halloween; Todd was carrying a small copy of Cap’s shield. A couple opened the door. </p><p>“Aren’t you cute?” the woman said.</p><p>“Excuse me, I borrowed these children from Sheila in Legal,” Darcy said. She’d convinced the guys to go trick-or-treating with her and wrangled the three of them into coordinating costumes. She was a chocolate bar and Frank was a marshmallow.</p><p>“I’m more upset that he’s carrying the shield,” Brock said, as they walked to the next house. He frowned.</p><p>“Why?” Frank said.</p><p>“Got into a fake-fight with Cap once,” Brock muttered. He was dressed as a graham cracker.   </p><p>“Shhh,” Darcy said. The door opened and the woman inside gave them full-size candy bars.</p><p>“Ohhhhh,” Todd said. “This is amazing, Emily.” Emily nodded, wide-eyed.</p><p>“Big ones,” she said. She was a little shy and struggled with full sentences. Darcy saw her stumble a little as they walked.</p><p>“You want me to carry you to the next house, honey?” Frank asked, crouching down at her level. Emily nodded. Frank was really, really good with kids. She held her hands--candy basket swinging--out tentatively and he scooped her up. “Here we go,” Frank said. Darcy caught him smiling at the baby.</p><p>“You like this,” Darcy told him. “Halloween stuff.” </p><p>“Maybe,” Frank said, shrugging. They walked towards the next house and Todd took off, attention grabbed by some displays in the yard.</p><p>“Hold on,” Brock called, hurrying after him.</p><p>“He’s never gonna catch that kid,” Frank said. “Oh, sh--you didn’t hear that, honey,” Frank said to Emily. He’d almost sworn when Brock slipped in some wet grass and came back toting Todd.</p><p>“We’re not gonna do that again,” Brock was saying sternly. “You could get hurt.”</p><p>“He could get hurt,” Frank chuckled. </p><p>“Shut up,” Brock said, looking distinctly ruffled. He set Todd down carefully. “You can walk, but you gotta hold my hand.”</p><p>“Okay,” Todd said. </p><p>“I had no idea kids could be so fast,” Brock whispered to Darcy.</p><p>“Oh yeah,” Frank said. Emily was resting her head against his shoulder. She looked sleepy. “Real fast,” Frank added.</p><p>“I gotta work on my kid skills,” Brock said. “Before we--”</p><p>“Before we what?’ Frank said.</p><p>“Have one,” Brock said. </p><p>“Mmm-hmm,” Darcy said nonchalantly.</p><p>“Was anybody gonna discuss this with me?” Frank asked, then lowered his voice, so he wouldn’t upset Emily. She'd looked up in alarm. “It’s okay,” he told her. She dropped her head again.</p><p>“He’s not being a marshmallow now,” Brock said, as they led both kids up to the door of the next house. “I think we should switch costumes, his is false advertisement.”</p><p>“I’m not being the graham cracker,” Frank insisted. Darcy laughed and took Todd’s hand this time. Emily returned to Frank, holding her arms out to be carried. </p><p>“We should definitely talk about some things,” Darcy said. “Later.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Frank said.</p><p>“Sure,” Brock said. “At home.” They went another fraction of sidewalk.</p><p>“Sounds good,” Darcy said.</p><p>“Two’s a good number, though,” Frank said suddenly.</p><p>“Two?” Darcy said. “I haven’t even decided on one.”</p><p>“You want your kid to have a sibling, though,” Brock said. “Not be lonely.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Frank said.</p><p>“I was an only child,” Darcy said. “Only children are fine.”</p><p>“Right,” Frank said. “You don’t avoid loneliness by surrounding yourself with people, nah. Nothing like that.” Darcy sputtered. </p><p>“Unfair!” she said. Todd looked at her.</p><p>“Are they being mean?” Todd asked, frowning.</p><p>“Definitely,” Darcy grumbled. She patted Todd’s head. He reached for her hand and they walked along.</p><p>“We could do one,” Brock said. “One would be good. Lots of people just do one.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Darcy said.</p><p>“Wait,” Frank said. “Which we--we you or we me?” </p><p>“Oh,” Brock said. He looked at Darcy. “Ideas?”</p><p>“Oh,” she said. “We’ve really got to discuss that at home.”</p><p>
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